APACHE TRAIL & SUPERSTITION

65 miles round trip

Directions: From Mesa take U.S. 60 east, exit at Idaho Road and travel north to connect with Highway 88.

The Apache Trail is one of the most popular day trips from the Phoenix-Mesa metro area. Follow the footsteps that Native Americans and hopeful prospectors took over 100 years ago. The trail features miles of spectacular desert wilderness and scenic beauty.

Ghostly, volcanic Superstition cliffs rise 2,000 feet, hiding the Lost Dutchman Mine, one of the most storied mines of the West. The Superstiton Mountain Lost Dutchman Museum displays the artifacts, history and folklore of the Superstition Mountains and surrounding region.

In the 1890s Goldfield was a booming community. Located on a little knoll off Mammoth Mine Road, Goldfield Ghost Town offers a guided tour of a reconstructed section of the Mammoth Mine. There are unique shops, a saloon and a general store. Enjoy a grilled steak, or just pan for gold. Jeep and helicopter tours are on site.

In the Tonto National Forest, Canyon Lake Marina offers the Lakeside Restaurant with fine dining and spectacular views. Marine and fishing supplies are available for boaters and fishing enthusiasts.

Climb aboard the Dolly Steamboat at Canyon Lake and cruise the secluded inner waterways on a Nature Cruise or a Twilight Dinner Cruise. Don't forget your camera and binoculars!

The famous authentic stagecoach stop of Tortilla Flat is nestled in the Superstition Mountain Wilderness. Belly up to the bar and get the best "Old West" burgers and home-style chili and salsa, then stop by the Old-Fashioned Ice Cream-Candy store and try the Prickly Pear ice cream.

Before you hit the trail, fuel up with a full belly with lunch at the Historic Mining Camp Restaurant & Trading Post. Here, family-style meals all made in their from-scratch kitchen serve up something delicious for everyone. Be sure to try their 18-hour slow-cooked ribs! This replica of an old mining camp cook shanty sits at the base of the mysterious Superstition Mountains, along the historic Apache Trail. If you need to pick-up a southwestern souvenir, their trading post has unique gifts for everyone back home.
If you’re heading home after a day of exploring the Apache Trail, end your day with a dinner while cowboy crooners entertain you with songs, tales and jokes from the Wild West. The “Hello Arizona” dinner shows are offered two times a night and advance tickets are recommended.
If you’re looking for the steak and baked potatoes without the show, stop by the Mining Camp’s Dutchman’s Hide Out, voted Best Steakhouse in the Valley by Phoenix’s ABC affiliate, Channel 15. This hidden gem pours Arizona wines and craft beers to accentuate the mesquite-grilled steaks and seafood, inspired by Arizona. The décor of the Dutchman’s Hide Out nods to Arizona history with polished copper tabletops, Ponderosa pine walls and Arizona artwork.